The time needed before applying for British citizenship is determined not only by completing a five-year visa period, but also by the time that has passed since the decision on Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). For an applicant coming from a five-year route, this usually means that a citizenship application becomes possible, at the earliest, in the sixth year after arriving in the United Kingdom.
For this reason, the timing of a citizenship application requires an assessment not only of the total time spent in the United Kingdom, but also of the date of the ILR decision, the days spent outside the UK and the applicant’s immigration history, taken together.
In this guide, we look at the requirements for applying for British citizenship by naturalisation under the rules in force as of October 2026, the 12-month waiting rule applied after ILR and the exception to that rule, together with the long decision times seen in ILR applications under the Ankara Agreement (ECAA).
What Is British Citizenship by Naturalisation?
Naturalisation is the application route that allows adults who have lived lawfully in the United Kingdom for a certain period and have become free from immigration time restrictions to acquire British citizenship under section 6 of the British Nationality Act 1981. Applications are assessed under Guide AN and the related nationality guidance published by the Home Office.
This route has two separate legal bases:
- an application based on five years’ residence under section 6(1)
- an application based on three years’ residence under section 6(2) by people who are the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen
On both routes, the applicant must be aged 18 or over, be of sound mind, have passed the Life in the UK test, meet the language requirement, meet the good character requirement and provide two referees. The main differences between the two routes lie in the residence period, the limits on days spent outside the UK and the time that must be waited after ILR.
How Many Years Are Needed to Apply for UK Citizenship?
On the five-year route, the applicant is expected to have been in the United Kingdom exactly five years before the date the application is received by the Home Office, and to have spent that five-year period in lawful status. In addition, the applicant must be free from immigration time restrictions on the date of application and throughout the 12 months before it, that is, they must hold ILR or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.
In categories that lead to ILR after five years, such as the Skilled Worker visa, the Global Talent visa or the Ankara Agreement, the process usually follows this order: five years on a visa, then the ILR application and decision, 12 months after the ILR decision and, finally, the citizenship application. For this reason, for an applicant coming from a five-year route, a citizenship application usually becomes possible, at the earliest, in the sixth year after arriving in the United Kingdom.
For applicants who are married to, or in a civil partnership with, a British citizen, the residence period is three years and there is no requirement to wait 12 months after ILR. These applicants can apply for citizenship after the ILR decision without waiting, provided they meet the other requirements.
How Does Time Spent Outside the UK Affect a Citizenship Application?
On the five-year route, the total time spent outside the UK during the five-year residence period must not exceed 450 days, and must not exceed 90 days in the last 12 months before the application. On the three-year route, these limits are 270 days and 90 days respectively.
Exceeding these limits does not mean that the application will automatically be refused. Where the limits are exceeded to a certain extent, the Home Office guidance allows the applicant’s ties to the United Kingdom, the reasons for being outside the UK and the overall pattern of residence to be considered together.
However, this assessment is entirely at the caseworker’s discretion, and it cannot be assumed that it will result in a positive outcome in every case where the limits are exceeded. What is critical at this point is that the periods spent outside the UK are identified completely and consistently before the application and that, if there is an excess, it is explained together with the reasons for it.
Do You Need to Wait 12 Months After Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) Before Applying for Citizenship?
On the five-year route, the general rule is that the citizenship application is made at least 12 months after the ILR decision. This rule stems from the requirement for the applicant to have been free from immigration time restrictions throughout the 12 months before the date of application; the period is therefore calculated from the date the ILR decision was made, not from the date the ILR application was submitted.
A common misconception is that, where an ILR application has been pending with the Home Office for a long time, this waiting period also counts towards the 12 months. However, the wording of the rule requires the applicant to have actually been free from restrictions during this period; the time that passes before the ILR decision is made is not, under the rule, considered within this scope.
The Home Office’s Naturalisation as a British citizen by discretion guidance separately sets out certain situations in which this rule may not be applied. One of these is where the ILR application was made at least 15 months before the citizenship application and the ILR decision was issued after a delay that was not caused by the applicant.
This provision is not an entitlement. The assessment is left entirely to the caseworker’s discretion and, if discretion is not exercised, an application made before the 12 months have passed may be refused; in that case, the application fee is not refunded. In addition, for the exception to be considered, all other requirements must be fully met, in particular those relating to time spent outside the UK, language, Life in the UK and good character.
This provision has particular significance for ILR applications recently made under the Ankara Agreement (ECAA). Decision times for ECAA ILR applications have noticeably increased, with some applications waiting around 10 months. In such cases, the 15-month period from the ILR application may be reached a few months after the ILR decision.
However, the fact that these dates have been reached does not on its own mean that an early application will be accepted. Whether the delay was caused by the applicant, whether a request for further documents was made during the ILR process and the overall circumstances of the case are considered together. For this reason, whether to raise an early application is a matter that needs to be considered separately on the basis of each case’s own dates and circumstances.
How Are the Life in the UK Test and English Language Requirement Met?
The Life in the UK test consists of 24 questions on the history, culture, legal system and social structure of the United Kingdom and lasts 45 minutes. A score of at least 75 per cent is required to pass the test; as of July 2026, the test fee is £50. A test previously passed for an ILR application can be used for the citizenship application without being taken again.
The language requirement can be met with a result of at least B1 level from a Home Office approved English test (Secure English Language Test, SELT) or with a degree taught in English. The conditions under which test results are accepted are set out separately in the guidance. Holding a degree taught in English does not, however, provide an exemption from the Life in the UK test.
Applicants aged 65 and over, and people who cannot meet these requirements because of a long-term medical condition, can request an exemption with the necessary medical evidence. Having lived in the United Kingdom for a long time is not, on its own, accepted as grounds for exemption.
What Does the Good Character Requirement Cover?
The good character requirement is the requirement with the widest scope for discretion in citizenship applications. The applicant is expected to fully declare criminal convictions, civil court proceedings, breaches of immigration rules and matters relating to their financial obligations; if an undeclared matter is identified later, this can have more serious consequences than the matter itself.
According to the current guidance, applications from people who entered the United Kingdom illegally are normally refused, regardless of how much time has passed since. Making a false declaration is also a separate criminal offence.
For applicants with a past matter such as overstaying a visa, working without permission, a late tax return or similar, it is important to assess the effect of these matters on the citizenship application before applying.
What Is the Referee Requirement in a Citizenship Application?
Two referees must be provided in the application. One of the referees can be of any nationality but is expected to be a professional person; the other must hold a British passport and be either a professional person or over the age of 25.
Both referees must have known the applicant for at least three years; they must not be related to the applicant or to each other, must not be the applicant’s representative and must not work for the Home Office. People who have been convicted of an offence carrying a prison sentence in the last 10 years are generally not accepted as referees.
What Is the Fee for a British Citizenship Application?
As of 8 April 2026, the naturalisation application fee for adults is £1,839.
Will the Earned Settlement Proposals Affect Citizenship Applications?
The government has announced earned settlement proposals, which provide for the standard qualifying period for ILR to be increased from five years to ten years, with this period able to be shortened or extended according to the applicant’s contribution. The government has also stated that it plans to align the citizenship rules with this new system.
As of October 2026, these changes have not yet been added to the Immigration Rules and have not come into force; no transitional arrangements have been announced either. The current ILR and citizenship rules remain in effect. Nevertheless, for applicants who already meet the citizenship requirements, it is important to follow developments closely.
Common Mistakes in Citizenship Applications
- Applying before 12 months have passed since the ILR decision. The 12-month period runs from the ILR decision, not from the ILR application; the exception can only be applied at the caseworker’s discretion.
- Overlooking the first day of the residence period. The applicant must have been in the United Kingdom exactly five or three years before the date the application is received by the Home Office; being outside the UK on that date can directly affect the application.
- Declaring time spent outside the UK incompletely or inconsistently. Differences between the declared trips and the passport, eVisa and other records may be considered under both the residence requirement and the good character requirement.
- Failing to declare past immigration or financial matters. Failing to declare a matter that seems minor can lead to an assessment of a false declaration, independently of the matter itself.
- Naming referees who do not meet the referee requirements. Failing to meet the requirements on family relationship, length of acquaintance or nationality can cause the application to be prolonged by a request for further documents.
- Applying under the wrong legal basis. For applicants married to a British citizen, section 6(2) provides for a different residence period and different limits on days outside the UK; identifying the correct basis directly affects the timing of the application.
Settlement Is a Stop on the Way to Citizenship, Not the Destination
British citizenship by naturalisation is the most secure status based on lawful residence in the United Kingdom. Completing the five-year visa period and obtaining ILR are necessary to reach this status but are not sufficient; the time after the ILR decision, the days spent outside the UK and the immigration history also determine the timing of the application.
Although the exception to the 12-month waiting rule after ILR has gained importance, particularly because of the long decision times under the ECAA, it is a discretionary provision, not an entitlement. For this reason, when deciding on the application date, it is decisive to consider the ILR application and decision dates, the periods spent outside the UK and the other requirements as a whole.
Would You Like the Timing of Your Citizenship Application Assessed?
You can contact Visavis to have the timing of your citizenship application, and whether the requirements are met, assessed on the basis of your ILR application and decision dates and your residence history in the United Kingdom.
Email: team@visavisuk.com
London: +44 7936 910 888
Istanbul: +90 541 968 97 91
Web: www.visavisuk.com
References:
Home Office, Guide AN: Naturalisation as a British citizen (July 2026): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a4d01bdb7203c4c023fd310/Guide_AN_-_July_2026.pdf
Home Office, Naturalisation as a British citizen by discretion, version 16.0 (11 November 2025): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68dfd14549e17d00a56ffdba/Naturalisation+as+British+citizen+by+discretion.pdf